Poebrotherium wilsoni is an extinct animal of the Camelidae family. They had lived between late Eocene and late Oligoscene period (about 38-30.8 million years ago). They have existed for approximately 7.2 million years.
However after they evolved to a small delicate camel, Miotylopus, they were hunted by ancient carnivores, such as nimravidae, a cat-like predator. So they separated in the Pleistocene period when some camels migrated to Asia and some to South America, and all the camels living in North America became extinct. Camels that migrated to Asia later migrated to the Middle East, North America and Europe.
The camels that migrated to South America evolved to llamas. Camels that migrated to Asia evolved to two main types of camels: the one-humped dromedary camels and the two-humped bactrian camels.
Poebrotherium evolved from its predecessor Protyloptus, but with more similarities of modern camels. So that’s why they can be considered as the first camels as Protyloptus does not belong to the Camelidae family.
Habitats: Poebrotherium wilsoni is endemic in North America in the White River Badlands, which is in South Dakota in the United States. The soil there are fertile and is eroded now. Many large animal fossils are found there, meaning the environment there are woodlands or grasslands where other animals that are dependent on water lives there as well. There is a possibility that there was a flood which killed the animals. Poebrotherium are not so dependent on water, so they prefer open land habitats, for example grasslands and woodlands and other arid environments.
Research on their body remnants shows that grass is not Poebrotherium's main diet, which also shows that this has made the Poebrotherium accustomed to lack of food and dehydration. This trait was passed on to the modern camels now as an ability to survive in arid environment without having to eat or drink for a long period of time.
Behavioural Adaptation 2: Poebrotherium wilsoni, and most other camelids walk in an unusual way, which is called “pacing”, meaning the front and hind legs on each side of the body move forward together. This way of walking is unstable, so it only suits flat areas such as open plains and deserts, which are their habitats. This adaptation helps them to travel long distances.
Structural Adaptation 1: The legs and neck of Poebrotherium wilsoni is long and lean, which are suitable for running. This helps them to escape from their ancient predators.
Structural Adaptation 2: Unlike modern day camels, which has padded feet, Poebrotherium wilsoni are split-toed, like the hooves of a deer. But they have pads underneath their toes, which resembles the feet of the modern day camels. Feet with hooves are more suited for open plain areas, the habitat of Poebrotherium.
Physiological Adaptation: Because of the drying trends of late Eocene, Poebrotherium wilsoni became less dependent on water which suggests that this trait allowed modern day camels to cope for several days without consuming water.
Reference: Courtney, R, & Shoemaker, A. (n.d.). The Fossils of the white river badlands. Retrieved in July 20, 2010, from http://www.squidoo.com/whiteriver
Fossil Animal
Poebrotherium
Latin name: poebrotherium wilsoni
||
Level
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Poebrotherium wilsoni is an extinct animal of the Camelidae family. They had lived between late Eocene and late Oligoscene period (about 38-30.8 million years ago). They have existed for approximately 7.2 million years.
However after they evolved to a small delicate camel, Miotylopus, they were hunted by ancient carnivores, such as nimravidae, a cat-like predator. So they separated in the Pleistocene period when some camels migrated to Asia and some to South America, and all the camels living in North America became extinct. Camels that migrated to Asia later migrated to the Middle East, North America and Europe.
The camels that migrated to South America evolved to llamas. Camels that migrated to Asia evolved to two main types of camels: the one-humped dromedary camels and the two-humped bactrian camels.
Poebrotherium evolved from its predecessor Protyloptus, but with more similarities of modern camels. So that’s why they can be considered as the first camels as Protyloptus does not belong to the Camelidae family.
Habitats:
Poebrotherium wilsoni is endemic in North America in the White River Badlands, which is in South Dakota in the United States. The soil there are fertile and is eroded now. Many large animal fossils are found there, meaning the environment there are woodlands or grasslands where other animals that are dependent on water lives there as well. There is a possibility that there was a flood which killed the animals. Poebrotherium are not so dependent on water, so they prefer open land habitats, for example grasslands and woodlands and other arid environments.
Behavioural Adaptation 1:
Research on their body remnants shows that grass is not Poebrotherium's main diet, which also shows that this has made the Poebrotherium accustomed to lack of food and dehydration. This trait was passed on to the modern camels now as an ability to survive in arid environment without having to eat or drink for a long period of time.
Behavioural Adaptation 2:
Poebrotherium wilsoni, and most other camelids walk in an unusual way, which is called “pacing”, meaning the front and hind legs on each side of the body move forward together. This way of walking is unstable, so it only suits flat areas such as open plains and deserts, which are their habitats. This adaptation helps them to travel long distances.
Structural Adaptation 1:
The legs and neck of Poebrotherium wilsoni is long and lean, which are suitable for running. This helps them to escape from their ancient predators.
Structural Adaptation 2:
Unlike modern day camels, which has padded feet, Poebrotherium wilsoni are split-toed, like the hooves of a deer. But they have pads underneath their toes, which resembles the feet of the modern day camels. Feet with hooves are more suited for open plain areas, the habitat of Poebrotherium.
Physiological Adaptation:
Because of the drying trends of late Eocene, Poebrotherium wilsoni became less dependent on water which suggests that this trait allowed modern day camels to cope for several days without consuming water.
Reference:
Courtney, R, & Shoemaker, A. (n.d.). The Fossils of the white river badlands. Retrieved in July 20, 2010, from http://www.squidoo.com/whiteriver
Wall, W.P, & Hauptman, J.M. (n.d.). A Craniodental interpretation of the dietary habits of poebrotherium wilsoni (camelidae) from the oligocene of badlands national park, south dakota . Retrieved in July 19, 2010, from http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/paleontology/pub/fossil_conference_6/wall.htm